1985 atc 200x vs 1984 225dx

[84trimoto125]

If both wher in the same condition which would you pick and why?

[DohcBikes]

Both. Clearly.

[shortline10]

I would pick 1985 .
1985 has thicker improved tranny kicker gears over the 84 model other wise their the same machine other than color scheme .

[dougspcs]

1986..love everything they did to that year of this model!!

Updated plastic, frame, engine....etc

And it's about the only Honda trike I haven't had the privilege of owning yet!!

[slashfan7964]

1985 but I'm biased because I own one. Pretty much identical machines though.

[joenovosel]

Couldnt pick one of them since i like the features of both. The 200x seems more stable and has the clutch. The 225dx has e start which is nice. My 225 likes to pick the front tire up real easy. And it likes to tip side to side. Maybe with a wider track i would like it more. Power and speed seem pretty close to me. Guess it all depends on what your wanting it for?

[DohcBikes]

This thread was previously named 85 200x vs. 84 200x. Now that the name has changed, I would choose the 200x by far for many reasons. Mostly just because they are built better as a whole.
I own both.

[dougspcs]

Yeah, OP changed the formula completely..

200X vs 225DX now.

I'd have to go with the 225DX personally..I've owned several in the past and quite like them. I like more of a utility trike. 200x is just the 350x poor weak cousin and since I have a 350X I don't need that.

225DX is shaft drive and electric start..my kind of animal.

[DohcBikes]

The DX's ARE bigger and built with more features, but they are poorly built at best. The axles bend if you look at them wrong. The front ends are way too light for a big bike. The swing arms snap in half pretty regularly.

Apples to oranges though. Hey Doug, how bout 250es or sx vs. 225dx......makes it easy to see what's built better IMO.

[Ghostv2]

Well all know honda built better trikes so it comes down to opinion after that fact. Case closed.
On that note, I'm picking up my second 225dx and I'm excited.

[dougspcs]

Hey Doug, how bout 250es or sx vs. 225dx......makes it easy to see what's built better IMO.

If you make me decide between the ES and SX, I'm gonna plead the 5th..they are both awesome and I won't make a call as to which is better. This is why I own both!!

Now the ES or SX vs 225DX..I'll side with the Honda. Though I've owned several DX/DR and like them..they still aren't of the same caliber as the Hondas, the king of trikes!!

Sorry Yamaha guys...but don't shoot the messenger on this one!!;)

[84trimoto125]

sorry about that i meant to put 225dx my mistake for got to mention i changed it aswell

[ShaftDrive225dx]

The 225dx is a torque monster while the 200x is sportier and an all around trike but definitely lacks power I've owned both I regret getting rid of the the 225dx I loves it on muddy trails it wouldn't fail me of course it's more of a utility trike while the 200x struggled a little in mud and in the sand which is why I bought it to get a taste of both worlds didn't really work out lol! I eventually ended upgrading to my current trike which is an 84 250r I love it I'll never go back!

[dougspcs]

Hmm, not too many times I've heard the 225DX call a 'torque monster'..personally if I were about to tackle a moderate size hill I'd rather have a 200x stuck to my butt than a 225DX. Much better chance of making the top IMO.

But seriously SD..your posts would be a ton easier to read and understand with a bit of sentence structure! Try a bit of punctuation for the readers sake..

[Ghostv2]

Hmm, not too many times I've heard the 225DX call a 'torque monster'..personally if I were about to tackle a moderate size hill I'd rather have a 200x stuck to my butt than a 225DX. Much better chance of making the top IMO.

But seriously SD..your posts would be a ton easier to read and understand with a bit of sentence structure! Try a bit of punctuation for the readers sake..

The 225dx is geared low so it can pull and haul things better. This is what he might be referring to.

[DohcBikes]

But remember, you can change the gearing on a 200x if you want to. Not so easy on the Dx.

[slashfan7964]

I'm biased, but I'd take the 200X. It's a much better overall machine in my opinion, despite lack of electric start which really doesn't bother me. I don't have much seat time on a 225X though, but they felt a little squirrely at speed. The 200X just seems very well rounded.

For those of you with bigger trikes I can understand why you'd say a 200X is underpowered...for me it's fine, gets me moving rather quickly, much faster than my friends Sportsman 400 HO and that waste no time getting moving.

You also need to remember the 200X was an entry level machine for sport riding. It wasn't designed to be an all out racer, that's why you have the R, and arguably the 350X.

[Ghostv2]

But remember, you can change the gearing on a 200x if you want to. Not so easy on the Dx.

I dont see why anyone would want to, nobody tries to make anything out of the DX. It is what it is.
Now the 200x, people can make it into a racer, gear it low for a nice trail machine, etc etc etc.

The 200x is a better machine. I owned both but none were in tip top shape so i cant really say much for personal experience.

BUT, a real nice 200x (First gen) will run me about $1k. A real nice DX, probably half that.

200x has WAY more aftermarket options than the YTM. Has better suspension too. I can keep going on.

[lokisbuddy]

200x for sure. I own 2 dx's but only one x and when I jump the 200x it doesn feel like jumping an old hard tail (yes iknow they hve shocks)

[hillbilly 200x]

Never owned a dx or any yamaha for the matter but i can tell you that the 200x is one hell of a bike. I have had a 250r and a 350x and i didn't really care for them i know there is a huge difference in power but you can built a 200x to have enough to keep up. You can even drop a 6 speed for a xr200x and have a little more for road running

[dougspcs]

I have had a 250r and a 350x and i didn't really care for them i know there is a huge difference in power but you can built a 200x to have enough to keep up.

You are a true original Aaron..never heard anyone say that before!! But, I've seen you work that little X..it's definitely a good fit for you.

[slashfan7964]

I haven't personally seen it but I wouldn't doubt it could be done...but it won't be cheap.

[Derrick Adams]

The DX's ARE bigger and built with more features, but they are poorly built at best. The axles bend if you look at them wrong. The front ends are way too light for a big bike. The swing arms snap in half pretty regularly.

Apples to oranges though. Hey Doug, how bout 250es or sx vs. 225dx......makes it easy to see what's built better IMO.
I totally disagree with everything he said about the 225DX-

[fabiodriven]

I've never heard of snapping swing arms on DX's, but I will agree the front end is too light duty.

I wouldn't seek out either bike and I'd take either or if they were free.

[DohcBikes]

I totally disagree with everything he said about the 225DX-


I'm not sure how you could disagree that they are bigger. The engine is bigger, and the frontend is wider. They have more total mass, which means they are bigger.

The DX does have more features, electric start and keyed ignition to name two. I can't think of any feature the x has that the dx does not, unless youre like me and you consider a manual clutch a feature haha.

Every set of Dx forks I've had in my posession were bent or ended up bent. The last two sets of triples I had were bent, they are not beefy at all, quite flimsy compared to a set 200x triples, even though the x weighs less.


The axles are known to be weak, I know several people with bent dx axles.

Furthermore, the frames are not built well from my experience. Must have had some twisted jigs. Either that or they are just weak as well.

I personally have not seen a swingarm break but I have read of several on this site. It may possibly be partially due to receiving the abuse from the ridiculously stiff stock rear suspension, I don't know.

I can only form an opinion, which is all this is, based on my experience with these two machines.

[slashfan7964]

The last DX I saw looked like a monster next to my 200X. I'd say it's closer to a 250SX in size.

[Ghostv2]

I'm not sure how you could disagree that they are bigger. The engine is bigger, and the frontend is wider. They have more total mass, which means they are bigger.

The DX does have more features, electric start and keyed ignition to name two. I can't think of any feature the x has that the dx does not, unless youre like me and you consider a manual clutch a feature haha.

Every set of Dx forks I've had in my posession were bent or ended up bent. The last two sets of triples I had were bent, they are not beefy at all, quite flimsy compared to a set 200x triples, even though the x weighs less.


The axles are known to be weak, I know several people with bent dx axles.

Furthermore, the frames are not built well from my experience. Must have had some twisted jigs. Either that or they are just weak as well.

I personally have not seen a swingarm break but I have read of several on this site. It may possibly be partially due to receiving the abuse from the ridiculously stiff stock rear suspension, I don't know.

I can only form an opinion, which is all this is, based on my experience with these two machines.


Who knows in the bikes 30 year history what has been done and how it has been abused. For all we know it was sent to the bottom of a lake and jumped by the last owner. I'm sure yamaha never planned for it to be on the trails at this day and age. Point being, there are too many variables, it's not a one owner machine I'm sure. Yes, the 200x appears to have a stronger front end and better designed but then again the dx was made to be a work horse/trail machine. The 200x was not.

Lighter front end? +1 in my book, I like wheelies.

[fabiodriven]

Lighter front end? +1 in my book, I like wheelies.

I took that as "not heavy duty enough".

[DohcBikes]

Yes, the frontend is not heavy duty enough.

Talk all you want about a trike being flogged over the years, I've had several dx' and several 200x' and I'm here to tell you that the Honda is FAR STRONGER than the Yamaha. Multiple units of the same model tell a story over time.

Buy and sell a couple hundred bikes, and you'll start to get a good idea of what lasts and what doesn't. You will also get a better handle on how to interpret the wear on a bike correctly.

The 200x doesnt "appear" stronger, it IS stronger. The DX was only made to LOOK like a workhorse, because a good horse doesn't break a leg every time you jump a fence with it, had a few of those too. OK maybe that's a little dramatic, but the point has been made and I can and will make it clearer if needed.

[Ghostv2]

Yes, the frontend is not heavy duty enough.

Talk all you want about a trike being flogged over the years, I've had several dx' and several 200x' and I'm here to tell you that the Honda is FAR STRONGER than the Yamaha. Multiple units of the same model tell a story over time.

Buy and sell a couple hundred bikes, and you'll start to get a good idea of what lasts and what doesn't. You will also get a better handle on how to interpret the wear on a bike correctly.

The 200x doesnt "appear" stronger, it IS stronger. The DX was only made to LOOK like a workhorse, because a good horse doesn't break a leg every time you jump a fence with it, had a few of those too. OK maybe that's a little dramatic, but the point has been made and I can and will make it clearer if needed.

If you scroll up i have been for the 200x this whole time, is it built better. ALL Hondas were, we all know that and its stupid to argue it.

Its all a matter of what you prefer and opinion after that. Along with availability. As stated before, i can get two DX's for the price of one X. I have been broke for nearly a year now because i cant work due to my surgery. So i literately have no budget for trikes. So i am stuck bouncing around from these "lower-end" machines. As far as i am concerned, the DX i am getting tomorrow is an upgrade to my 200e. I NEEDED something with suspension for a softer ride because of my back. So, +1 in my book.

My point is that i know its not very well designed but its not THAT bad of a machine.

The 350x breaks its legs every time you jump a fence with it, you dont see anything putting that down. :lol:

[DohcBikes]

Yep I always read what people take the time to write, and I can see that you clearly prefer the X.

I'm also not saying the DX is a P.O.S., its just not built as well.

Honda is in fact my THIRD preferred manufacturer for other reasons, Yamaha coming in second after my favorite, Kawasaki, but I think Honda put way more effort in to their trike line than anyone else.

Good luck with the new DX, I'm workin on one of mine right now :beer

[dougspcs]

I think what DOHCBikes is aiming for is that the Yamaha version of the sport utility (225DX) doesn't rival the Honda version of similar design (250ES) in robustness!!

Not to question the OPs original query, but comparing the 200x and the 225dx is like comparing a greyhound to a boxer!! Two totally different animals, bred for different purposes.

[Yamada]

I'll will repeat what I wrote in many thread about the 225DX. For big guys the 225 is better than the 200X. When I sit on my 225 I feel confortable. Go sit on a 200X after and it feel like you just sat on a ATC70. Also what I don't like about the Honda 200 engine (every ATC 200) is that the engine vibrate a lot compared to the Yamaha 200 and 225. The Yamaha has a counter-balancer and you don't feel any vibration. When I sit on a ATC 200 I can feel the pegs vibrate.

[fabiodriven]

Not to question the OPs original query, but comparing the 200x and the 225dx is like comparing a greyhound to a boxer!! Two totally different animals, bred for different purposes.

I agree with this. The only reason I'd ever compare the two were if I only had these two to choose from and I could only afford one trike. There's no real reason otherwise.


I'll will repeat what I wrote in many thread about the 225DX. For big guys the 225 is better than the 200X. When I sit on my 225 I feel confortable. Go sit on a 200X after and it feel like you just sat on a ATC70.

I agree with this as well.

[Ghostv2]

So what i am wondering now what the original creator of this thread was trying to figure out. Are you thinking about getting a DX? Or just like to for the sake of argument.
If you have questions and they were not covered, feel free to let them out. If you really want i could even take pictures of things to compare. Like the front ends, etc.

I dont mind talking about something i actually know about. Now the 250r/350x, thats a book i have yet to open. :lol:

[hawaiirider]

owned both, the tri moto w reverse is a nice cruiser but cant be compared to a 200x for agressive riding period.

[DohcBikes]

The dx does not have reverse. Neither of mine do anyway.

[fabiodriven]

The DR has reverse, not the DX. If he had asked about the DR vs the 200X my choice would have been the DR all day. Reverse is a huge factor that has to be taken into consideration. I said I wouldn't seek out a DX or a 200X, but I did drive almost 6 hours in each direction to get my DR. Case in point.

[Ghostv2]

owned both, the tri moto w reverse is a nice cruiser but cant be compared to a 200x for agressive riding period.
I wouldnt say that, my DX i got yesterday seems pretty aggressive. High comp pistion, DG exhaust, ITP rims, and some other small stuff. That thing would kill my 200x in power and speed even though its suppose to be geared low to pull. Granted the 200x was stock. Waiting for the snow to melt for the full test and to fix it up some more.

Now the suspension, i wanna try and see what i can do there to make it a better ride. Overall im happy with the machine, it should be a fun ride. You take what you can get.

[hawaiirider]

reverse is a big deal i agree!!!
powerwise the yamaha is right on par or better, just like you said its the suspension its lacking that the x has!!! my back still hurts from overjumping that heavy yamaha!!